Continuous rolling-mill



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

F. H. DANIELS. CONTINUOUS ROLLING MILL.

Patented Oct. 23, 1883.

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U ITED STATES PATENT 70FFICE.

FRED H. DANIELS, or woncnsrnn, MASSACHUSETTS.

CONTINUOUS ROLLING-MILL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 287,008, dated October 23, 188

Application filed January 26, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED H. DANIELS, of Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Continuous Rolling-Mills for Rolling Metal Bars and Rods;

and I declare the following to be a descrip-- and for maintaining the proper relation of the several pairs of rolls while effecting lateral adjustment of the same; also, to afford a connection for the housings and the mechanism for effecting lateral adjustment which will permit removal of the rolls and housings without removing the adjusting-screw; also, to provide a supporting-bed which can beconveniently constructed and fitted for the reception of laterally-adjustable roll-housings; also, to provide improved bearing-connection which will permit lateral adjustment of the rolls; also, to provide means for supporting the rod guides upon the bed-frame independently I of the roll-housings. I attain these objects by mechanism constructed and organized for operation substantially as illustrated and described, the particular subject-matter claimed being hereinafter definitely specified.

In the drawings are represented such parts of a continuous rolling-mill as are necessary to illustrate the nature of my invention.

Figure l is a part plan, part horizontal sectional view. Fig. 2 is a part elevation, part vertical sectional view. Fig. 3 is atransverse verticalsection of the mill. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of a telescoping journal-connection. Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the same at line 00 0c,- and Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the bed-frame and foot of the housing at line 51 showing the manner in which the housing-casting may be made for protecting the adjusting-screws.

In the drawings, A denotes the bedframe,

which extends longitudinally of the mill and supports the housings B, that carry the journal-bearings of the rolls 0, said bed-frame,

being of suificient extent to accommodate the requisite number of pairs of rolls, twelve to sixteen pairs being ordinarily employed, although a greater or less number may be used, as desired. The housings B and boxes for the roll-journals O are constructed substantially in the ordinary form, and the rolls 0 are supported and adjusted to and from each other within their housings B in the usual or any suitable manner. The bed-frame A is provided with lateral guideways D, having undercut grooves d. The feet b of the housings B are fitted to said guideways D, and are secured thereto by means of bolts 6, the heads of which are locked into the undercut grooves d, while the bolts extend up through the feet b, and are provided with nuts on their upper ends, by which said feet can be clamped down upon the guides or bedframe for retaining the housings at any desired position of adjustment.

Beneath the housings, and extending transversely across the bed or stationary portion of the frame, are arranged shafts E, the ends of which are supported to turn freely in bearings f, but are held by suitable nuts, shoulders, or collars from endwise movement. Said shafts are screw-threaded along their central portion, and are provided with nuts F, running upon said screw-threads and fitted to engage downward-projecting portions of the housing-castings in such manner that revolution of said screw-shafts will effect the lateral movement of the housings B and the rolls 0, mounted therein. The ends of the screwshafts project at the front of the frame at E, and are properly formed and fitted to receive a suitable wrench or key, by means of which said shafts can be conveniently turned when required. In the present instance the nuts F are formed with end flanges, and are arranged to fit into a suitable recess between lugs a a, that depend from the bottom transom of the housings, the flanges of the nuts resting against the shoulder of the lugs a, as illustrated, thus forming a lock-connection which will insure the lateral movement as required, while per mitting of the housings being lifted ofi from the bed-frame without disturbing the adj usting devices. I do not, however, desire to confine myself to this particular manner of con necting the nut and housing, as other modifications could be employed without departure from the nature of my invention. The sides of the bottom frame or transom-bar of the housing may be extended downward along the screw-shaft in the manner indicated at a, so as to protect the screw and its connections from the water, dirt, and scales falling from the rods and rolls.

The supporters or standards G for the rodguides G are made independent of the housing-frames B, and are independently secured to the bed-frame A, so that the position of the housings can be shifted, while the guides G remain stationary in. position. Said guidestandards in the present instance have their feet fitted to the transverse parts of the bedframe, or portions which form the guideways, and' they are held by bolts 9, having heads that lock into the undercut grooves, and nuts that clamp the standards in position in the manner indicated. The rod-guides G may be constructed and retained upon their supports substantially in-the ordinary or any suitable manner.

The couplings I, for connecting the axles G of the rolls 0 with the axles or shafts J of the driving-gears J, are arranged as indicated in Figs. 8, 5, and 6. The axle ends are .corrugated or made in irregular form, as in ordinary mills, and in addition thereto the rollaxles O are provided with a groove or neck, 1'. The coupling I is made in two parts, with inner surfaces to conform to the shape of the axles, and provided with inward flanges or projections i, to fit into the necking i of the roll-axle. The parts are formed somewhat shorter than the distance between the journal-bearings. The halves of the coupling I are placed together, embracing the axles C J, with the fiange t" locked into the groove '5. WVroughtiron rings K are then slipped over the coupling, and wedges K are driven beneath the rings to force the parts of the coupling firmly together. A block, L, is then secured between the'heads of the wedges by a binding wire or cord, Z, to prevent the wedges from jarring loose. This coupling I is confined to the axle O, and is free to telescope with the axle J as the rolls are moved laterally nearer to or farther from their drivinggears, so that the couplings do not require to be taken off or disarranged when effecting adjustments.

The rolls 0 are formed with several grooves or dies, 0, and when one groove on any set of rolls becomes worn out or injured in the running of the mill the pair of rolls can be quickly and conveniently shifted to bring another of the grooves into line with the rod-guides by simply loosening the nuts on the clamp-bolts c, then applying awrench to the heads E and revolving the screw-shaft E to effect the lateral movement of the housings to the required position, and then retightening the cl amp -bolt 0. The first pair of rolls of a continuous rollingmill, working 011 wire rods, will run about two weeks before the grooves therein become sufficiently worn to require replacing, while the grooves of the finishing-rolls, or sixteenth pair, will last only about half a day. The grooves in rolls intermediate between these extremes wear for a longer or shorter period, according to their respective positions in the mill. In practice, therefore, the finishing-rolls and those near the latter end of the mill are preferably provided with a greater number of grooves than those nearer the first pair, thereby permitting the greater number of changes or'lateral shifts necessary to compensate the more rapid wear. By arranging the rodguides stationary and adjusting the housings and rolls laterally, as hereinbefore described, the course of the rod through the mill is always maintained in a direct line, and the mill is caused to operate in a much more satisfactory manner than with the usual practice of offsetting the guides and deviating the course of the rod in order to use an adjacent groove.

The bed-frame A, for convenience of fitting up, may be made in short sections, separately cast and fitted, and the whole bolted together,

as at M, or connected in other suitable manner to form the continuous bed for the hous ings B. This construction permits of the e011- venient and accurate planing off of the guideways D and the formation of the grooves (1. Another modification of this construction would be to secure sections containing the guideways D and adjusting-screw devices E 1 upon long bed bars or rails extending longitudinally of the mill; or, if preferred, the en- :tire frame or bed can be made continuous or integral and the guides for the housings be formed in or arranged thereon in any manner convenient.

Having described my improvements in con tinuous rolling-mills, what I claim as of my ini vention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 21S

1. The combination, with the gear-shaft and {roll-shaft having a neck or recess, 5, of the coupling-sleeve I, formed in halves or longitudinal sections, provided with projections z" for engaging said neck-recess, and the rings and keys K K, or means for securing said sections together, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The bed-frame for a continuous rollingmill, composed of a number of attached sections provided with transverse undercut grooves or guideways, substantially as hereinbefore described.

3. The combination, with the laterally-adjustable roll-housing and its adjusting shaft or screw, of a nut or connecting device engaging with or fitted to said housing by detachable lock-connection, substantially as set forth,

iwhereby said housing may be removed from the bed without disturbing said screw mech- G, supported and secured upon the bed or lat- 1o anism. eral guideways D, independently of the hous- 4. The combination, with the adjusting-screw ings, as and for the purpose set forth.

} E'and its connecting devices, of the housing- Witness my hand this 20th day of January,

5 frame or transom-bar a, adapted to cover and A. D. 1883.

protect said screw, substantially as and for the FRED H. DANIELS. purpose set forth. WVitnesses:

5. The guide-standard G, formed substan- CHAS. H. BURLEIGH,

tially as shown, for retaining the rod-guides EDWIN GLEASON. 

